Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-14
DAILY HERALD.
CRIMINALITIES.
Theories in Regard to the
Harlan Case.
HATTIE,wOOLsTEEN ARRESTED
The Lightning Messenger Con-
victed of Breaking Jail.
Smaller Notes.

With respect to the Harlan murder
only one important point has been
learned by outsiders. This is the
arrest of Miss Hattie Woolsteen, the
young woman who had some business
relations with the dentist and accom-
panied him to Compton on the day
preceding the murder, to examine
some lots at that place which she was
desirous of purchasing. 1t has been
stated that this young woman was
criminally intimate with Harlan, but
no one has, so far, been discovered by
the HERALD reporter who had any
positive knowledge that such was the
fact. The young woman came here
several months ago from Kickapoo,
ILL.,, where her father, Wallace Wool
steen, now lives, and resided at the
time of Harlan's disappearance at 514
South Fort street. On Wednesday
Mr.. Darcy had an interview with her
during which she denied having had
any other but avowable relations with
Harlan. After her departure from the
police office to her room she was
watched, and in the meantime consul
tations between Darcy and the men
working up the case went on unceas-
ingly. Some time after midnight yes
terday morning Mr.. Darcy having
evolved to his own satisfaction the
theory that Miss Woolsteen knew
more about the case than she had
admitted to him, had her brought
back to the station where she has re-
mained ever since. She is confined
in the Chief s private office, constant
ly under guard of an officer and is
booked OH suspicion of murder. Her
sister is with her. 1t would be idle to
repeat all the theories circulated on
the street by people who "know all
about it." Many of these theories
would be most plausible, provided
that the basis upon which they rested
was the real one. But SO far it is alb
solutely not known yet where Harlan
was killed. If the utterances Of
Chief Darcy are to be relied upon he
has from the first disbelieved that the
well borer who is known to have been
swindled out OF $400 and gold
watch. and chain was either
the principal or at all connected
with the crime. On the other hand,
it is known that he has favored greatly
(and probably because he had better
reasons for it than the general public)
the hypothesis that Miss Woolsteen
knew sufficient respecting the murder
to make her at least an accessory to
it. That this theory has gained ground
in his mind, is amply proved by the
young lady's arrest. The only weak
point in the matter is that the Chic
has been unwilling to vouchsafe the
slightest information as to the nature
of his knowledge of Miss Woolsteen'
guilt to any of the reporters. Ifhe hai
a sure case against her, there can bt
no longer any harm in informing the
public of it through the press, but i
he has not, then his disinclination t(
speak is perfectly comprehensive. Il
is we'll known that a wagon was rented
here from a livery stable on Thursday
evening and only returned on Friday
and it is more than probable that this
was the vehicle that conveyed Harlan
or Harlan's body to Compton. Miss
Woolsteen was taken out in coupe
by Chief Darcy yesterday afternoon,
but returned to her quarters in the
private office afterwards. 1t is posi-
lively known that she has thus far
maintained her innocence, and her
sister also denies the guilt of Hattie.
Many persons who have, to some ex,
tent, the inside track of the matter,
claim that the police are working on
the wrong clew, and that Miss Wool
steen must shortly be released. Chief
Darcy was again approached last even.
ing for developments, but these were
denied the reporter peremptorily.